The Dorian Mode

Jay P

So, the dorian mode. I know how to play it, but what the frick is it? I mean, how do you know if its used in tunes or not? Is it not just D major? or am i being narrow minded?

NoQuarter

ello ello, this is like my millionth time giving out this website but tis good for modes, "master the mode" as mr. fastfinger says:

http://www.guitarshredshow.com/#home

click enter

click lesson in 7 modes

click on the lessons link on the right hand side of the flash thing

then click on the circle in the top right and change aeolian to dorian

it give a little bit of info on it, then click play the game and....well....play the game!

oh and land the carpet to practice;)

kawaii

Think of it like a natural minor scale with a major 6th. Also, consider raising the 7th when ascending (of course this will essentially just make it a melodic minor...).

OK-Cancel-Apply

D Dorian is exactly the same as C Major. Playing a mode is like starting the major scale on a different point. You'll need to learn which modes correspond to which degrees of the major scale.

Since dorian is the 2nd, if you want to play in D dorian, you'll have to find out what major scale has D as the second, and that happens to be C (but instead of playing from C to C, you play from the D up to the D). Just like if you wanted to play D Phrygian, you'd find the major scale where D is the 3rd, and that's A#. The modes themselves are basically divided into major and minor, because of the intervals that their notes happen to be at.

I'm pretty sure that's correct, but please, someone set me straight if I've said anything wrong

kawaii

The only difference between C ionian (major) and D dorian is that the root of D dorian is D. This is actually a big difference. It's the same kind of difference which occurs between C major and A natural minor. The notes are the same, but when related to the tonic they sound completely different.

fobster

Question about modes, taking in D dorian as an example, is the tonic major chord D-F-A or is it still just C-E-G?

Norrdeth

D-F-A would be minor as the second note in the major scale which is the start of the Dorian mode is the root of a D minor chord.

The D Dorian mode is D-E-F-G-A-B-C-D

The Dorian scale can be used in any key really and it corresponds to the Circle of fifths.
That is if you were in the key of G major the dorian would start on the note A and end on A with just a F# as the 6th.

The A dorian mode would then be: A-B-C-D-E-F#-G-A

fobster

Cheers, triad construction and what not major triad= major third+minor third, minor triad=minor third+major third etc. etc.

jptk

C major ionian and D dorian have the same notes.

It depends on the harmony in the background. For eg, if someone is vamping on a D minor chord, then playing the c major scale will sound like dorian or playing D dorian will sound like Dorian cuase it is the same notes.

However, vamping on a C Major chord and playing D dorian, will just sound like C Major.

It all depends on the harmony basically

-=al=-

Depends what way your using them too, u can play diatonicly or parallel modal playing, different types for different sounds, diatonic is whats goin on here with being "in key" so to speak Parallel is more complicated + usualy the melody and harmonies are just as important for utilising the modes...

rather than jus saying im going to do some modal playing eg: playin C lydian over Eminor, its kinda the same thing with the same notes - Diatonic


and a simple way of remembering modes is by understanding how they work

....Dorian the b3 and b7 notes in a scale make it dorian

so thats where D dorian comes from D dorian = D E F G A B C

so odly enough in Dmajor = D E F# G A B C# ....the notes F# which is the 3rd and C# which is the 7th is flattened

scale and chord theory help... So if we know the 2nd interval in a major scale is minor so in C major the 2nd is D which is why its a minor

I probably explained that half arsed, F it it makes a little bit of sence

stevemcf

For your head...
http://www.outsideshore.com/primer/primer/ms-primer-4-2.html#DorianMode

For your hand...
http://jguitar.com/harmonizer/scale2chord?scalelist=D+Dorian

For your heart...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR5b0Eryr1U&feature=related (ultimate Dorian playing)

Steve

DerKaiser

The dorian mode is the natural progression from d to d without any flats or sharps, just natural notes, whereas Dm would scale - d,e,f,g,a,bflat,c,d, the d dorian mode scales - d,e,f,g,a,b,c,d, it just has a sharp 6th, which lends it some amazing colour, as it's not expected, try a standard rock or blues riff using the 1st, minor 3rd and 5th, then throw in your sharpened 6th, back to your 5th and then your minor 3rd, (ie d,f,a,b,a,f), Jimmy Page used this a lot as sudden note breakers in guitar solos, have a listen to some live Zep stuff